Great Britain's Emma Pooley has become the first British woman to win gold at cycling's World Road Championships in Australia. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

Great Britain's Emma Pooley has won gold in the women's time trial at the world road championships in Geelong, Australia. Pooley, the 2008 Olympic time-trial silver medallist, is the first British woman to win a medal of any kind at the event.

Pooley, who currently rides for the Cervélo Test Team and is also British road race champion, was quickest at every checkpoint on the 22.9km course.

After being marginally in the lead at the first time check, the 27-year-old extended her lead along the course and finished in 32 minutes 48.44secs.

Pooley had to endure a nervous wait for the remaining riders, but her nearest rival, Judith Arndt of Germany, was 15.17secs adrift with Pooley the only woman to go under 33 minutes as she claimed a dominant victory. She is also due to enter the road race on Saturday.

However, there was less good news for Alex Dowsett in the Under-23 men's time trial when his bike suffered a puncture close to halfway in the 31.6km event, forcing him to finish on a road bike.

"On a strange bike I was unable to sprint, unable to pedal, so I was just losing time all the time," said Dowsett who, until the mishap, was well placed for a high finish.

He came home in 31st, three minutes and 25.19 seconds behind American winner Taylor Phinney, in 42:50.29.